Fee hike by administration leads to historical protest by students at BITS

Students at several campuses of BITS are protesting against fee hike. Every year the fee was hiked by 15% but this year it is hiked by 17% which led to an agitation by students.

The protest intensified at Pilani campus when students launched a hunger strike. Support is witnessed from the campuses of Goa and Hyderabad when students are protesting in their respective campuses.

Amidst the pressure of final exams and scorching heat, students are taking out protest marches and are raising slogans against the administration.

Image Courtesy: The Hindu

“Students staging protest against perennial fee hike outside the guest house as the vice-chancellor denies to meet the student community of BITS Pilani. Amidst our ongoing end semester exams, students have united across campuses to express their frustration,” tweeted an under-graduation student, reports TOI.

In a matter of four years, the tuition fee of BITS Pilani increased from Rs. 89,000 to an exorbitant Rs.1,59,000 by means of 15% increase every year. Students at Hyderabad campus are protesting outside Director’s office trying to study for their end-semester exams under street lamps.

Aishwarya Rebelly of the Journal Club of BITS Pilani (Hyderabad) said “Without the Vice Chancellor (VC), a decision cannot be formulated. The VC was supposed to meet the student representatives but will only speak on Friday. It will be hard to garner the momentum later as the examinations are coming to an end and students will return home.”, reports the citizen.

The students are demanding that the fee hike should be rolled back and the fee for one batch should be kept constant. Students decided to wear black clothes during the exams that are scheduled to start from 12th May, 2018.